M–54
Norristown, PennsylvaniaUnited States

sastum

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1966 Chevrolet Corvair Monza

“"Ashley"”

1964 Chevrolet Corvair Monza convertible

“Vixen”

Head to Head

About “"Ashley"”

Back in 2000, I had the misfortune to have to take a prescription that meant I couldn't drive. I sold the daily car I had at that point (one plain-Jane black 5-speed Cavalier coupe - a transportation appliance at best). A couple of years went by, and I changed doctors. The new guy prescribed something different for my condition, so I needed wheels once again. I could: A) spend $4,500 on a cheap used car that would just blend into the woodwork or, B) Find a really decent Corvair set up the way I like it. Now THAT car doesn't blend in. I found this '66 Corvair in Denver, CO, on eBay. The engine had been rebuilt by a nationally-known Corvair specialist shortly before the previous owner put it into storage for about ten years. It came out of the rebuild capable of putting 220 horsepower down to the pavement. Not bad for 164 unblown, carbureted cubic inches! It also had new tires all around. I won the auction, and flew out with my wife to drive it home. A fantastic road trip, and it cost half as much as shipping it would have. It became my daily driver for the next three years, until, in late '05, I had it in for state inspection at a friends Corvair restoration shop. While it was up on the lift, I got to see just how little rust the car had underneath. I decided at that point that it had seen its last winter of Pennsylvania road salt! It is now my nice spring day car, and a pleasure to drive. It still draws attention wherever I go with it.

UPDATE: I had to sell my beloved Ashley in August of 2009 due to the nation's lousy economy. My overtime had gone away and and my wife lost her job due to a work-related disability that they refused to accept responsibility for, so we just couldn't justify the expense of nearly $100/month to insure the third car in a two-driver household. Our mortgage was a couple of months behind, so sadly I took a friend up on his standing offer on her. As promised, he has given her the complete cosmetic restoration she so badly deserved. Of course, she didn't need anything mechanically - I always kept her up 100% mechanically. Furthermore, he gave me right of first refusal, so if he should ever decide to sell her, I get the first opportunity to buy her back.

About “Vixen”

Vixen and I first saw each other at Fairway Chevrolet here in town. It was love at first sight! I drooled over her for months. She wasn't for sale there on the lot, an employee owned her and drove her daily. On my birthday in 1997 my husband surprised me with the gift of Vixen, my 64 convertible!!!!! I was so thrilled to have her my first question was, "Does she run?" because it really, truly didn't matter to me. She was mine!!!! My twin sister helped me name her because she was here celebrating our birthdays on that joyous day. Since it was so close to Christmas, my Corvair got the name Vixen--after Santa's reindeer of the same name.

She needed some work, but she ran and I started driving her daily almost immediately. (We did fix the gas tank leak first.) A few dozen coats of Meguiars waxes had her gleaming like she didn't really need paint. Most of her trim pieces were in boxes in the trunk, but little by little I put her back together.

In 2000 and 2001 she got new paint and interior. In 2004 she got a motor rebuild.

Mods for “Vixen”

I made her my own when we did the paint and interior. She was Fawn in color from the factory, but was red with black interior when I got her. She has been Argent Silver since 2001. She has 61 NOS hubcabs. (Did you know that 61 Monza hubcabs have to have 61 wheels? I didn't either until I was putting her back together.) She has 60 tail lights, 62 dash and grill. I just took all the parts and pieces I thought were prettiest and built my own little car. She also has a custom made pair of fuzzy dice made by my lovely twin sister!